


One Unreasonable Excuse

by Leni



Category: Friends (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-24
Updated: 2015-03-24
Packaged: 2018-03-19 09:24:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3604935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phoebe goes with Joey to one of his auditions. "I wanna be a cowboy!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Unreasonable Excuse

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mangacrack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mangacrack/gifts).



> Written for Mangacrack at [Comment Fic](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/435362.html?thread=69197986#t84421538). Prompt: **any, any/any, The only reasonable excuse for taking this risk? The high likelihood of getting laid!**

"A word, Joe," Phoebe said as she pulled on her friend's arm. Joey refused to budge; the reason, of course, being the curvy brunette fawning over his career - and his biceps. "Yeah, yeah, he's ripped," Phoebe groused, yanking Joey behind her at the same time. "You can have him back later, promise," she called over her shoulder as she marched to a more solitary spot.

"Pheebs," Joey whined, dragging his feet and twisting his arm to escape her hold. Then he yelped when her thumb dug into his wrist. "Ouch! Okay, okay, what's wrong?"

Phoebe stopped a few yards from the temporary stable. " _That_ is what's wrong," she told him pointing with her free hand.

Joey looked over. Frowned. Looked back at her and then at her hand, which kept pointing in the same direction. "The horse is wrong?"

"That's not a horse," she said, her voice a bit higher than usual. "That's a mutant beast from hell."

He laughed. "Come on, Phoebe. So it's a bit big... and scary... No big deal!"

The horse chose that moment to stand on his hindquarters, throwing off the man who'd been holding the bit. The men who were closest jumped to help the fallen man, while everyone else gave the scene a wide berth.

Phoebe raised an eyebrow.

Joey gulped and licked his lips, trying to play off his nerves. "Ah. Well. I guess that's why they call it the Wild West, eh?"

The horse's forelegs returned to the ground, and immediately aimed for the man's left leg. Thankfully his friends tugged him away right on time, sending the horse trotting in the other direction when it lost its prey - to look for his next victim.

"You're cancelling this audition. Right now."

Joey gave her an incredulous look. "What? _Why?_ No!"

Phoebe huffed in frustration, and pointed at the horse, then at Joey, then at the horse again. "You're gonna get killed," she told him succinctly.

"No, I won't!"

He was cute when he held his ground, but she rather liked him unbroken. "Joey... Darling... Have you ever ridden a horse?"

",,,yeah."

"Outside a petting zoo?"

Joey ducked his head and mumbled. "Maybe." And then, before Phoebe could pounce on that. "I wanna be a cowboy!"

Phoebe understood that. _She_ wanted to be a cowboy too, or at least be there when Joey became one, but every ambition had its limits. "Joey, you're gonna be dead if you try that stunt with this horse, okay?" When he pouted, she took a deep breath and said slowly, because repetition always helped when he was being stubborn. "You're. Getting. Killed."

"But..."

"Killed!"

"Pheeebs...."

"One reason, Tribbiani," she snapped, poking him in the shoulder with each word. "Give me _one_ reasonable excuse to take this kind of risk."

"Well..." Joey' gaze trailed to the brunette they'd left behind. The woman gave an enthusiastic wave, and Joey winked back.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "You have to be kidding me," she muttered.

Joey grinned. "She has a thing for cowboys," he whispered, making a pistol motion with his right hand and 'shooting' at his newest conquest.

Phoebe considered letting the die fall as they would. Then she considered the months of being around Joey if he managed to break something today. "No. Not happening," she told herself. Because everybody had jobs that demanded set schedules, so she'd be the one at the invalid's beck and call. "No way."

And while Joey was distracted, flirting with the little actress from a distance, Phoebe grabbed his earlobe and grazed her fingernail against the tenderest spot. "Last chance, Joe. You coming with me?"

"But..."

The tip of her nail pressed in.

He was quite a smart guy, when it counted. 

"Sure, Pheebs."

Phoebe nodded, pleased, and grinned at him. "Good boy."

 

The End  
23/03/15


End file.
